KEEP YOUR PROMISES ...OR LOSE THE LEAGUE

ASDA got it in the neck last week for selling Christmas trees in summer and Hearts joined them in the dock by offering pantomime in August.

The Edinburgh International Festival starts in the capital this week but the drama merchants and arch-critics were already out in force at Tynecastle.

Hearts fans are in danger of talking their team into a crisis as they became the first supporters in living memory to howl with derision as their favourites moved top of the league on goal difference.

Neil McCann and Saulius Mikoliunas were subjected to theatrical boos and hisses for under-performing while cat calls punctured the air as favourite Julien Brellier departed centre stage after an hour to be replaced by Mirsad Beslija.

The home crowd's indignation owed much to the understudy role their team were forced to adopt for long spells of this game by a Falkirk performance that deserves to be recorded as something more than a footnote to the Jambos' frustration.

However, the unease of home fans is also a manifestation of the gnawing fear that the club's financial good fairy is in danger of being re-cast as Baron Hardup of Gorgie.

Oh no he isn't - Vladimir Romanov has led the club back from the brink of extinction, invested massively in new talent and rewarded established and up-and-coming stars. And there are still nearly three weeks to go in the transfer window.

Oh yes he is - Romanov said two World Cup stars were on their way for signing talks and vowed to bring in quality over quantity to spearhead an SPL title assault and progress in the Champions League.

Hearts fans will never b e anything other than grateful for the financial and emotional investment Romanov has made in the club over the last 18 months.

But he needed to follow his words with financial action long before the first AEK Athens game and it's crucial his next signings after low-key midfielder Marius Zaliukas are more than just a job lot of squad fillers.

Qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League is now a task of Parthenon proportions and more graft and guile is needed in the side or else their SPL title challenge could also soon be in ruins.

At this moment, managerValdas Ivanauskas has around 16 quality operators on whom he can rely in the months ahead.

But he needs more creativity to unlock sides who will come to Tynecastle content to soak up pressure and hit on the break.

Striker Michal Pospisil said: "The fans are a little more confident this season and expect more from the team after all we achieved last year. They think we can beat everyone and that's normal after a successful season. Sometimes the supporters can get angry, but I didn't think it was so bad from us today.

"However, I still feel we can all play better and we must improve. We miss Paul Hartley and his absence is a big reason why we didn't play as well as we can -after all, he was our best player last year.

"We miss Rudi Skacel as well. He and Paul were two big players for us and it takes time to replace these important figures. We've also come through a tiring week and would have been sharper if we'd had another day of rest, although that's not such a big factor." Falkirk's passing play was a delight and in 20-year- old Paddy Cregg they have one of the best midfielders in the SPL.

It was wonderful to see Brian Rice tear his hair out in the dugout as the Bairns attempted to play their way out of their penalty box while under siege for a short spell in the second half.

Row Z beckoned but time and again they looked to make a short pass forward rather than boot the ball into the Main Stand, where boss John Hughes was forced to watch the second half after a bust-up with ref John Underhill.

That was sparked with half an hour gone after Roman Bednar went in with a two-footed lunge on Kenny Milne. The Falkirk defender took offence and pushed the Czech striker away.

He was fortunate not to see red although Bednar went down far too easily, a criticism more than one Hearts player was to face with Calum Elliot taking a shocking dive in the b ox near the end.

Pedro Moutinho passed up the best chance of the game when he volleyed a Li am Craig cross weakly into the arms of Craig Gordon.

At the other end the telescopic legs of 6ft 6ins Bairns keeper Scott Higgins came to the rescue as he denied Bednar and Pospisil before going on to claim everything thrown at him from the air.

It wasn't a bad display from an Aussie who used to work in a boozer in Dunblane and had knockbacks from Stirling Albion, Dundee United, Dunfermline, Inverness and Clyde as akid.

Higgins said: "My mum, Shirley, is from Leven and a lot of the family stay around Dunblane so I'd been over in Scotland a few times. But I let myself down in the past because I was a young boy and homesick. I knew, at the age of 30, this was my last chance to make it.

"I was with Queensland Roar in the A-League last year and Karl Dodd, who played there too, tipped me off that Falkirk were looking for a keeper. I sent off my resume and a few DVDs and signed a 12-month contract.

"My wife Helena is a police officer, but she's taken 12 months'unpaid leave to come here and support me.

"I'm really enjoying playing at places such as Tynecastle because the place is packed and the atmosphere is so good.

"We've made a good start to the season and we play some terrific football but no one at Falkirk is getting carried away.

"Hearts are a fantastic side but they've come through a tough few days and maybe we got them at just the right time."

MAN OF THE MATCH: Paddy Cregg (Falkirk)

MAN BY MAN

Hearts:

Craig Gordon: Comfortable with the mostly long-range efforts that came his way. 6

Robbie Neilson: Five-man Bairns midfield kept his forward runs in check. 6

Steven Pressley: Sound but for couple of uncomfortable moments in first half. 6

Christophe Berra: Scotland Under-21 starlet continues to progress. 6

Takis Fyssas: Kept pinned back but Bairns never got in behind him. 6

Bruno Aguiar: Decent display up to point but needs to take controlling interest in forward areas. 6

Julien Brellier: Still feeling effects of midweek virus. 5

Saulius Mikoliunas: Must work harder off ball and look hungrier to get on it. 5

Neil McCann: Off day but fans' jeers unfair on player finding way back to fitness. 5

Michal Pospisil: Worked tirelessly off ball trying to find openings. 6

Roman Bednar: Put himself about well but goal chances few and far between. 6

Subs: Edgaras Jankauskas 2 - on for Pospisil but little influence on action, 2. Mirsad Beslija - rare appearance for Bosnian but little involvement, 2. Calum Elliot - only impact was negative with blatant dive in bid to win penalty, 1.

FALKIRK

Scott Higgins: Aussie dominated box the way Opera House dominates Sydney harbour. 8

Jack Ross: Ringer for Jeff Goldblum but there are no flies on this popular full-back. 6

Karl Dodd: Haircut's a shocker but the defender's football brain is cool. 7

Kenny Milne: Big stopper was lucky not to walk for pushing Bednar but that was only time he put foot wrong. 7

Darren Barr: Like Berra, youngster, continues to imress among more senior pros. 7

Thomas Scobie: Lacked a little composure at times but that will come with experience. 6

Russell Latapy: Kept Bairns midfield moving without ever dominating action. 6

Liam Craig: Threw over a few tasty deliveries and worked tirelessly in all areas. 6

Patrick Cregg: Irish terrier didn't put foot wrong as he dominated middle of park. 9

Pedro Moutinho: Passed up game's best chance but crafty frontman was always busy. 6

Alan Gow: Rare stinker as he failed to make ball stick up front. 5

MOMENT THAT CHANGED THE GAME:

Kenny Milne escaping with only a booking for his first-half push on Roman Bednar

Taken from the Daily Record